The Treasury, Petra The Kingdom of Jordan With Liz Bonham 16th 24th March 2018 The Ultimate Travel Company Escorted Tours
The Kingdom of Jordan With Liz Bonham 16th 24th March 2018 Wadi Rum Contact Emily Pontifex Direct Line 020 7386 4664 Telephone 020 7386 4620 Fax 020 7386 8652 Email Liz Bonham emily@theultimatetravelcompany.co.uk Though born and educated on America s East Coast, Liz Bonham spent most of her holidays with her maternal grandparents in Ayrshire and ultimately moved to the United Kingdom. Liz has worked in special education and is keen on tennis, golf and bridge, though her real passion is travel.
Detailed Itinerary Few countries are as richly blessed as the small desert kingdom of Jordan, with its magnificent archaeological remains and breath-taking desert and mountain scenery. This fascinating tour begins in Amman, a fascinating blend of ancient and modern, and then visits the finely preserved Roman city of Jerash. We continue to Madaba with its Byzantine churches and exquisite mosaics, followed by Mount Nebo from where Moses surveyed the Promised Land. We then follow the ancient King s Highway south to the great Crusader Castle at Kerak before reaching Petra. Here we visit one of the most spectacular sites in the Middle East the rock-hewn rose red city of Petra. From here we drive through the awe-inspiring landscape surrounding Wadi Rum, before ending our journey with a couple of days relaxing at the Dead Sea. Hadrian s Arch Temple, Jerash Mosaic in St George s Church, Madaba Day 1: Friday, 16th March London / Amman Depart London Heathrow on an afternoon British Airways flight to Amman arriving late in the evening. On arrival, transfer to the Marriott Hotel, in central Amman, where two nights are spent. Light snacks provided on arrival in guest rooms. Day 2: Saturday, 17th March Amman / Jerash / Aijlun Morning tour of Amman and its largely Roman ancient sites, including the huge 2nd century Amphitheatre, Odean, Nymphaeum, and Citadel. Continue to Jerash, one of the best examples in the Middle East of a Roman provincial city which is remarkably well-preserved. Lunch at the Lebanese House in Jerash. Continue on to Aijlun, an awe-inspiring Islamic fortress, overlooking the Jordan Valley. Transfer back to the hotel. Dinner at Beit Sitti, a family owned restaurant, serving wonderfully authentic Arabic food. Day 3: Sunday, 18th March Madaba / Nebo / Petra Transfer south along the King s Highway, one of the oldest roads in antiquity, to Madaba, known as the City of Mosaics, famous for its large Byzantine mosaic map of The Holy Land on the floor of the St George s Church, depicting all the major biblical sites of the Middle East. Drive to Mount Nebo, mentioned in the
Hebrew Bible as the place where Moses was granted a view of the Promised Land, and climb to the very top to take in its spectacular views over the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea. Continue to the ruins of the early 12th century Shobak Castle followed by the magnificent 12th century Crusader fortress of Kerak built by the crusader King Baldwin I of Jerusalem in AD 1142 and featured in legendary battles between the Crusaders and Islamic armies of Saladin. Lunch in Kerak, before continuing along the desert highway to Petra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Check into the Mövenpick Resort Petra, where two nights are spent. Dinner at the hotel. Day 4: Monday, 19th March Petra Full day s sightseeing at Petra. Hewn from towering rust-coloured rock in the valleys of the Shara Mountains, Petra is testament to the prosperity of the Nabataeans. There is the option to ride horses to the entrance of the Siq, before walking or driving by carriage (additional cost US$25 per carriage) through this narrow, winding 2km-long fissure with walls towering up to 200 metres overhead. At the end lies the unforgettable sight of the rose-red Treasury, with its stunning 40-metre high façade. Walk along the Street of Facades, passing tombs in the cliff face and the 1st century amphitheatre, to reach the main part of the city with its fine array of public buildings and temples. One can also climb up the processional way (part winding staircases) to see the other remains and enjoy spectacular views over the ancient city. Lunch at Basin Restaurant. Dinner at the hotel. The Crusader fortress of Kerak Temple in Little Petra, Siq al Barid Day 5: Tuesday, 20th March Petra & Little Petra Morning visit to Little Petra, a magical spot with its own miniature version of the Siq. It is believed Little Petra was an important suburb of Petra, the entry and exit point for the trade routes to the north and northwest. As in Petra, the buildings were carved into the sandstone, used as residences, storages and tombs, with water channels and cisterns. In one of the buildings you can find the remains of painted frescoes with birds, grapes and flowers, dating from the 1st century AD. Lunch at the Basin Restaurant. Afternoon at leisure and option to return to Petra archaeological site. Cooking demonstration and dinner at Petra Kitchen, preparing typical Jordanian dishes with local women. Day 6: Wednesday, 21st March Petra / Wadi Rum / Dead Sea Drive (with luggage) to the Bedouin settlement at Wadi Rum, which is forever associated with T.E. Lawrence and is surrounded by the most extraordinary desert scenery rust-coloured jebels capped with sandstone rising sheer from the wide sandy valley floor. Desert safari in 4x4 jeeps.
A buffet style lunch at a Bedouin camp before continuing to the Dead Sea. Check into the Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea where three nights are spent. Dinner under own arrangements. Day 7: Thursday, 22nd March Dead Sea Day at leisure. The Resort has excellent amenities including a beach, several swimming pools and spa and treatment centre, which offers a range of restorative treatments (payable locally). Enjoy, also, the famously buoyant saline waters of this unique environment. Lunch and dinner under own arrangements. Wadi Rum The Dead Sea Day 8: Friday, 23rd March Dead Sea Day at leisure. Lunch under own arrangements. Alternatively there is an optional excursion (including lunch) to the spectacular 700m-high hilltop fortress of Machaerus, the castle of Herod the Great, which offers spectacular views over the surrounding landscape and Dead Sea. The hill was first fortified in about 100 BC, and expanded by Herod the Great in 30 BC. Machaerus is renowned as the place where John the Baptist was beheaded by King Antipas, the successor to Herod the Great. Also of interest are the remains of a Roman siege ramp on the western side of the hill dating from when the Romans took the fort from Jewish rebels in AD 72. The excursion is at an additional cost (please see below). Farewell dinner at the hotel. Day 9: Saturday, 24th March Amman / London Morning transfer (with luggage) to Amman for a morning flight to London Heathrow arriving early in the afternoon. N.B Please note that this trip does involve a certain amount of walking on uneven terrain and a reasonable level of fitness is required.
Tour Price COST PER PERSON: 2,995 Single supplement: 470 Optional excursion to Machaerus including lunch: 135 per person (based on a minimum of 2 people) A fee of 95 per person will be charged for those who would like to travel out or back separately from the main group. The tour cost includes: economy class scheduled flights air passenger duty, passenger service charge, airline security charges, airport taxes and fuel surcharges where applicable currently 235 (liable to change without notice) accommodation throughout as shown in the itinerary breakfast daily; 5 lunches; 5 dinners snack on arrival, day 1 one soft drink and bottled water with included meals wine with farewell dinner, day 8 all visits and excursions as per the itinerary all transportation as detailed in the itinerary all entrance fees local English-speaking guide/s group visa gratuities in restaurants; gratuities to driver/s; gratuities to guide/s; porterage the services of your tour leader throughout The tour cost does NOT include: travel insurance carriage ride Petra (US$25 per carriage) spa treatments at the Mövenpick Dead Sea Resort items of personal expenditure (e.g. telephone calls / laundry etc.) government levies or taxes introduced after costing and publication of this programme on 21/04/16 Changes to the Itinerary Please note, that certain elements of this itinerary, and/or the order of events, may well be subject to alteration due to circumstances beyond our control. Airline Tickets As a tour operator we have access to special airfares. While these offer good value, they do carry certain restrictions applied by the airline. Please ask us for details.
Note: If you are thinking about using air miles to upgrade to a premium cabin on the flights, please check with us first as fare restrictions might not permit this. Fitness to travel Whilst we do not impose any age limitations on joining a tour, participants must be reasonably fit. The very nature of the sightseeing involved in our tours (and the difficulties of direct access by coach in various places) means that a considerable amount of walking and standing is unavoidable on almost all tours. We regret that our tours are not suitable for people who have difficulty in walking, may require wheelchair assistance at any time, or are unable to keep pace with the group. If you are in any doubt as to the suitability of a tour, please make this known to us before you book and we will advise you accordingly. The Ultimate Travel Company reserves the right to decline a reservation without necessarily giving a reason. Accommodation Hotels are chosen on the basis of category, character and location. The majority will be at least 4 star, otherwise the best available. The projected size of the group will often rule out the use of luxury boutique hotels. Sometimes the style of hotel will mean that not all rooms are of the same size or have the same outlook. Health Requirements There are no mandatory health requirements for visitors to Jordan. No inoculations are compulsory except for Yellow Fever but ONLY if you have recently visited an infected area. Diphtheria and TB, hepatitis A and B, polio, tetanus and typhoid are all suggested in certain cases. Standards of hygiene in Jordan are very high so you should not have too many problems but we do suggest taking medicine with you in case of a stomach upset. Detailed advice can be found on: http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/destinations.aspx. Please check recommended practice with your GP, practice nurse or travel health clinic. Passport and Visa Information All visitors to Jordan should hold a full valid passport, which must have at least six months validity after the date of your return. British and EU passport holders will require a visa to visit Jordan, and we will be organising a group visa on your behalf. Please note that unless you have six months validity the visa will not be granted. FCO Advice Travel advice issued by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office can be viewed at www.gov.uk/knowbeforeyougo.